The project titled "A Clinical Phase I Program Targeting Hematological Malignancies with Adaptive NK Cells," led by PRIMA Director Karl-Johan Malmberg, has been awarded a grant of 15.7 million NOK from the KLINBEFORSK funding program from the South-Eastern Health Region of Norway.
This innovative research initiative is coordinated by Oslo University Hospital HF, and involves collaboration with other key healthcare institutions including Universitetssykehuset Nord-Norge HF, St. Olavs Hospital HF, and Helse Bergen HF.
The funding will support a clinical phase I program using expanded adaptive NK cells to treat cohorts of patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelomatosis (MM). If successful, this platform may also provide a blueprint for broader applications of precision immunotherapy.
Karl-Johan Malmberg's laboratory leads a Scandinavian team-based effort to bring new insights in NK cell biology to the clinic. Building on a successful 2018 Phase I/II trial, three new cell therapy trials are planned using ADAPT-NK cells. Patients will be treated at Oslo University Hospital (for AML/MDS and MM under this grant), and in separate trials at Karolinska Institutet/Karolinska University Hospital and the University of Minnesota (for AML/MDS).
About KLINBEFORSK
KLINBEFORSK is a funding program dedicated to national clinical treatment studies, requiring active research collaborations across all health regions in Norway. With a portfolio encompassing 70 ongoing projects funded during the period of 2016-2023, KLINBEFORSK aims to foster significant advancements in clinical treatment research.
Projects within this program are coordinated by various healthcare regions, reflecting the distribution of research activities as indicated in the program data. The coordinating institution submits the application for national study support to KLINBEFORSK, which then undergoes an evaluation process by international clinical research experts.
Program Goals and Objectives
One of the main goals of KLINBEFORSK is to ensure that more Norwegian patients can access experimental treatments through structured clinical studies. Therefore, funded projects must facilitate patient recruitment nationwide. Additionally, user involvement is mandatory for all projects, ensuring that the patient perspective is integrated into the research. Users are also represented on the KLINBEFORSK program board.
This initiative plays a crucial role in adhering to the National Action Plan for Clinical Studies 2021-2025, aiming to enhance the opportunities for Norwegian patients to participate in cutting-edge clinical research and treatments.